51s’ Stanley standing out

Nick Christensen

Thursday, June 2, 2005 | 9:06 a.m.

It looked like a routine fly ball, trailing off Jeff Pickler's bat and just left of the third base line at Cashman Field.

And as Henri Stanley watched the ball and chased it down Tuesday night, he saw he was running closer and closer to the wall that separates the field from the party deck in the left field foul territory.

In an instant, Stanley reached up, cartwheeled over the short wall and landed in the party deck upside down.

Then he reached up his hand, showing third base umpire Peter Durfee that through his highlight-reel tumble, he'd caught and held the ball.

"I knew I had the ball," Stanley said Wednesday before the 51s' 5-4 loss to Colorado Springs. "I was like, man, I hope I don't knock my head open on this cement down here. I was able to roll over and take the force on the upper part of my back instead of taking it on the head."

The drama wasn't quite over. Catching the ball out of play got the out but also advanced Tim Drew from second to third base with two outs. Tomas De La Rosa popped out to first to end the inning, earning Stanley a standing ovation as he returned to the 51s' dugout, and a special thanks from Tuesday starter Edwin Jackson.

"He said 'I had to get that next guy out. I couldn't let the guy score after you made a play like that,' " Stanley recalled.

Las Vegas manager Jerry Royster was one of many impressed with Tuesday's catch.

"It's a great effort and a little determination," Royster said. "I was really glad to see him make a play like that. All that does is give a guy confidence in his abilities. He's played outfield at times somewhat tentatively. To make an aggressive play like that just gives him confidence that he can do anything."

Last year, Stanley spent his only month in Las Vegas trying to prove himself to his new team. This year, he's done just that, hitting .347 in 98 at-bats.

He started 2004 in the Padres organization, but was traded to Boston on May 15. A little more than two months later, the Red Sox traded him to Los Angeles for Dave Roberts. Roberts went on to be a crucial part of Boston's comeback in the American League Championship Series.

"I guess I helped them win the World Series," Stanley said when asked of his part of the trade. "I guess I can pat myself on the back for that."

He hasn't had the baserunning success of Roberts. He was caught stealing Wednesday for the fifth time this year, running on a 2-0 count when two pitches later Brian Myrow walked anyway. He has four stolen bases this year, although he was 74-for-102 for his career up to this season.

Royster said the baserunning is something the Dodgers will be looking at when they start to think about September call-ups, especially with such a glut of outfielders in the system already.

"When you get called up in September, you may be called up hitting .340, but when he gets up there they don't need him to hit .340," Royster said. "They need him to do the other stuff, and (Dodgers manager Jim) Tracy told them that in spring training.

"He won't be expected to hit .340 in the major leagues, but making amazing plays like that, sacrificing, using the bunt as a weapon, which he does," Royster said. "He's doing a lot of things right right now."

Still, the .340 start is one of the best of his career. Stanley, 27, hasn't hit above .300 since a stint at Double-A Round Rock in 2002, his third year as a professional.

"I'm just aging, getting more experience playing, probably to the point where it's just a more carefree attitude that I have," Stanley said. "There's no pressure to get anywhere, I'm probably not expected to finish anywhere. I control things I can control."

Stanley may be seeing more time in the outfield. Chin-Feng Chen was hit on the wrist by a pitch Wednesday and was scheduled for X-rays today. So was infielder Willy Aybar, who also is having wrist pain after a play Tuesday. Infielder Norihiro Nakamura has been leaving games early with back pain, and utility player Nick Theodorou has been playing through a bruised knee for almost two weeks.

With three players coming off substance abuse policy suspensions Saturday, the Dodgers are slated to have an organization conference call today to discuss the roster.

Dessens, who has a shoulder injury, has pitched nine innings with the Dodgers this season, giving up six hits and four earned runs while striking out one. Last year, he pitched in 12 games with the Dodgers after being traded by the Diamondbacks. He went 1-0 with a 3.20 ERA in Los Angeles last season.